bodhipooh wrote:She just kept telling me I was parked within 50 feet of the STOP sign, but I kept trying to explain that my car was in a marked parking area, and that it doesn't make sense for the city to paint lines for legal parking, and then turn around and ticket someone for using that spot.

I would have lost my shit right there! I think everyone needs to have an easy to start in your pocket voice recording app for these situations. I have a recording of a JC building inspector telling me it wasn't any of his business that the roof he was inspecting leaked, I should have gotten a better contractor and he was going to close the permit.

Secret Voice Recorder for Android will start with 3 pushes of the power button.

I should have definitely gone to court. In the past, any such effort has been rewarded with outright dismissals of the disputed ticket. But, my last visit was literally like a Twilight Zone episode devoid of common sense or logic. I was contesting a ticket issued for a permit zone 2-hr violation, and the ticket clearly stated that the first observation of the vehicle was around 10 AM, and the second occasion (and, time of ticket) was about 90 minutes later. I tried to reason that the ticket was issued incorrectly as two hours had not elapsed from first observation to second one, and that it should be dismissed. The judge kept going on and on about needing proof that I had moved the car, but that seems completely irrelevant and an almost impossible bar to clear. What if someone just drove home. How do you prove that? The whole thing was annoying and I ended up having to pay the ticket, plus court costs, so I just decided not to bother with this last ticket. Just not worth the hassle...

I went to court for a BS ticket. Luckily the information on the ticket contradicted itself and the judge threw it out. I came equipped with photos, as well. It is a PITA but I was so pissed, it was more matter of principle.

I guess it all depends on the judge, because I got a ticket for parking too close to an intersection, and it took about 30 seconds and 1 photograph for her to dismiss the case. It was, dare I say, a pleasant experience.

Sadly, parking enforcement can be maddening in JC: it's hit or miss, with crazy tickets thrown into the mix. I got ticketed a fe months ago for parking within 50 feet of a STOP sign. Mind you, I was parked in a parking spot with lines painted for parking and all. No amount of reasoning with the PEO helped. She just kept telling me I was parked within 50 feet of the STOP sign, but I kept trying to explain that my car was in a marked parking area, and that it doesn't make sense for the city to paint lines for legal parking, and then turn around and ticket someone for using that spot. Normally I would try and fight a ticket like that, but the last time I went to court to contest a ticket the judge was as obtuse as the PEO, so I not even trying with this one and paid it online.

So I just went for a walk, came back to find a ticket on my car. The message says I ignored the Emergency No Parking signs, but there are no signs anywhere posted in the area (I made sure to take pictures).

I also see the time the ticket was written was 3:30PM, which is odd considering I got it at noon and am posting this message at 12:30PM.

Is this something new? Am I missing what the real offense I may have committed is? I've gotten them before for being on the wrong side of the street (always completely my fault), but never got one for this.